‘He’s dead,’ she said flatly, not having seen her father again after he had gone to America, informed of his death by letter, too late even to go to his funeral.
‘I know that,’ Reece told her gently. ‘But before that, didn’t you hate him then?’
‘He didn’t want the marriage to end, it was Amanda’s decision,’ she recalled in a pained voice.
‘When you no longer love someone it’s usually the wisest thing to do,’ Reece sympathised huskily.
‘I forgave her for not loving my father any more, years ago,’ Laurel assured him tautly. ‘It was—I can’t forgive the fact that she also separated Dan and me!’ She was angry, with Reece for forcing her to relive that painful time, and with herself for the emotional way her voice broke. ‘It was cruel,’ she rasped, once again in control of her emotions. ‘And not only that, completely selfish.’
‘Dan was—your lover?’ The words seemed to be forced out of him.
It came as no surprise to her to know that Amanda hadn’t told Reece and his father about Dan; the whole thing showed just how selfish Amanda was! But much as she despised her mother for the way Dan had been taken from her she wasn’t about to betray her cruelty to Reece, either.
‘I loved him,’ She avoided directly answering his question.
‘You sound as if you still do?’ Reece frowned as he parked the car outside her home.
‘Yes,’ she confirmed abruptly, knowing that no matter how badly things had gone between herself and Dan when he visited her that she would always love him; that the bond between them would never be broken.
‘Is it too late, or is he married or something now?’
‘No, he isn’t married, but it is too late,’ she spoke dully as she remembered the awkwardness there had been between Dan and herself five years ago. Yes, it was much too late for them to find that easy affection and companionship they had once known.
‘Is that why you were willing to settle for that lukewarm relationship with Gilbraith?’ Reece rasped.
Talking of Giles reminded her of the terrible dilemma he had put her in, and just for a few minutes she didn’t want to think about it. Getting out of the car, she waited until Reece walked around it, before hurtling the powdery snow she had gathered up, straight at his head. She giggled at the comical expression on his face as the snow splattered in his hair and down over his face and jacket.
He recovered quickly from his stunned surprise, bending to pick up some snow in retaliation. ‘So you want to play games.’ He straightened and sent the snowball in her direction.
She was too quick for him, ducking so that the snowball landed harmlessly behind her, picking up more snow as she bent down, throwing it up at Reece from her crouching position. She hit her target a second time, getting him on the chest this time, his creamy-white shirt sticking to him wetly as the snow melted against the heat of his body.
‘Why you little—’
‘Champion,’ she substituted smugly as she once again avoided being hit.
‘We’ll see about that!’ He began hurtling snowballs at her fast and furiously, some of them hitting their target. They were both cold, wet—and glowing, after a few minutes. ‘Uncle! Uncle!’ Reece finally cried, his hair so wet he looked as if he had just stepped out from under a shower. ‘You are the champion!’ He grinned as they fell into each other’s arms. ‘But I’m the winner!’ he announced as he triumphantly dropped a load of snow down her exposed cleavage.
‘And I’m the victor!’ Laurel told him mockingly before pushing a handful of slushy snow down the waistband of his trousers, standing back to laugh as he gave a shocked cry and began trying to get the snow out again! ‘Please, darling,’ she taunted as a middle-aged couple gave him a strange look on their way past. ‘At least wait until we get upstairs,’ she chided huskily.
He looked up in surprise, dark colour flooding his cheeks as he saw they had an audience, giving up the idea of retrieving any of the snow to grasp her arm and march her inside the building. ‘You little devil!’ he muttered between clenched teeth, obviously very uncomfortable as they travelled up in the lift.
She looked up at him with widely innocent eyes. ‘I do have a cleavage full of wet snow,’ she reminded him that he had started it.
He looked down at her, a rueful smile curving his lips as he saw the mischief in her expression. ‘I’ll tell you what,’ he said in a conspiratorial whisper. ‘I’ll get your snow out for you if you get mine.’
She burst out laughing. ‘I thought “frozen assets” would have dampened your desire,’ she teased.
‘Mine are a little more than frozen,’ he grimaced. ‘But a little tender loving care should take care of that!’
‘Ever the optimist—or do I mean opportunist?’ she drawled as she preceded him out of the lift, laughing softly as she saw the way he was having to walk so that he didn’t feel too uncomfortable. ‘Really, Reece, you—My God!’ she came to an abrupt halt just inside her flat, hardly able to believe the sight that met her eyes.
It was no longer the soothing haven she had made it, books, furniture, clothes, all scattered about the floor, nothing in its place, no furniture left standing.
This couldn’t be her home, she must have the wrong flat. But her key had fitted the lock, and the things strewn about the room were definitely hers!
She felt frightened, invaded, and sick, in that order. She felt as if someone had probed into her private self, exposing her, stripping her bare and leaving her naked to face the world. She didn’t know if she was going to be able to keep the nausea down!
‘Laurel, what is it?’ Reece had finally caught up with her, stopping beside her. ‘My God…’ he groaned disbelievingly, his arm coming instinctively about her shoulders as she began to tremble. ‘Who would do such a thing?’ He shook his head dazedly.
It was no good, she couldn’t hold back the nausea any longer. ‘Excuse me,’ she managed to gasp in a strangulated voice before running into the bathroom, tears streaming down her cheeks as she brought up her dinner.
Strong hands held her shoulders as Reece supported her, turning her into his arms to bury her face against his chest, stilling her movements as she protested.
‘I’ll ruin your jacket,’ she groaned.
He gave her a gentle smile. ‘You think a little thing like that would put me off at last holding you in my arms?’ he attempted to tease.
She knew he was trying to make her feel better, and he did a little, but she still had to go out of this room and face the whole of her world thrown on the carpet like so much rubbish. God, even her pot-plants had been emptied all over the floor, the pots themselves following behind!
She pulled out of Reece’s arms, moving to the sink to rinse her face in cold water, feeling no better, but knowing she had to regain control of herself. But they had had such fun downstairs, to come up here and face this horror seemed almost blasphemous.
‘Don’t touch anything,’ Reece warned gently as she would have picked up a broken figurine.
She looked up at him hesitantly, blinking dazedly.
‘We have to call the police,’ he explained softly. ‘There might be fingerprints.’
She didn’t need fingerprints to tell her who had done this. It was obvious Reece believed it to be the burglar who had broken into the other flats in the building, but she knew better. That burglar hadn’t destroyed other homes the way hers had been tonight, had carried out a cursory search, taken what he wanted, and left. The person who had been in here had been looking for something specific. Like a ring. Giles…
CHAPTER FOUR
SHE knew it was him as surely as if he had left a calling card. And it had all been for nothing, the ring had been in her clutch-bag at her side all evening. She had decided that as he put so much value on the ring that she had better take good care of it, and had taken it out with her. It was nestled in her purse even now. She hadn’t thought Giles was desperate enough for its return to do something like this.
She sat dow
n numbly in the window-seat as Reece called the police, letting him take charge, still sitting in the window when the police arrived a short time later, shakily answering their questions. Once they gave her permission to look round she discovered that a few pieces of inexpensive jewellery had been taken, instantly congratulating Giles on his ingenuity. If nothing had been missing the finger would have pointed firmly at him. As it was he was relying on her pride in not wanting to admit she had been duped into giving him money like some love-hungry idiot, to keep her silent. And he was right, she couldn’t tell anyone of the absolute fool she had been over him.
‘You’re coming home with me,’ Reece told her firmly once the police had gone.
She looked defeatedly at the chaos of her flat. ‘What about all this?’ she groaned.
‘We’ll come back together tomorrow and clear it up,’ he promised.
She shook her head. ‘I don’t think I can face Amanda and Robert again tonight.’
‘I said with me, Laurel.’ He firmly wrapped the white velvet around her again. ‘I told you, my wing of the house is completely separate from theirs.’
She knew she couldn’t stay here tonight, and she didn’t want to be alone either. ‘Thank you,’ she accepted huskily, grateful for the way he had taken control of everything, knowing she didn’t have the strength right now.
‘That’s what fiancés are for. Hey,’ he chided as she flinched, ‘I’m not going to hurt you.’
He hadn’t been the fiancé she had been thinking of when she couldn’t hold back that involuntary shudder. She had to see Giles again, and soon, but she couldn’t do it just yet, needed time to recover from—this.
‘Let’s go.’ She stood up jerkily. ‘No,’ she refused sharply as he would have picked up one of her nightgowns from the floor. ‘I couldn’t bear to wear that now he—they, have touched it.’ She quivered in revulsion at the thought that Giles may have touched her more intimate clothing. She couldn’t bear them next to her skin now.
‘You’re right,’ Reece dropped the silky article. ‘Let’s just get out of here. I can always go and borrow one of Amanda’s for you.’
She swallowed hard. ‘I’d rather you didn’t. They might ask questions, and—and I couldn’t talk about this tonight.’
His hand was protective at the back of her waist. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll sort something out later.’
She trusted him, going with him docilely, the warmth in the car not touching her. It had all taken on much more threatening overtones than just the stealing of her money, and the fact that she still had Pamela Gilbraith’s gaudy ring. Maybe she should tell someone—Reece? No, she shuddered, least of all could she admit to him how utterly stupid she had been.
‘It’s all right, darling,’ Reece misunderstood her shudder as one of reaction to the destruction of her home. ‘I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.’
It was a nice thought, but she wasn’t foolish enough to believe it would happen. Giles hadn’t succeeded in getting what he wanted tonight and so he would be back. If the ring was so important to him maybe she should just give it back to him; she couldn’t bear something like this happening again. But her money, what of her money? Without the ring she stood no chance of having that returned, and she needed it desperately.
It was almost two o’clock in the morning by the time she had showered and gone back into the adjoining bedroom, one of the guest-rooms in Reece’s wing of the house. She had somehow felt as if she were tainted by Giles’s touch, had felt unclean, and despite the lateness of the hour had needed to cleanse her body if not her heart and soul; she could have only black thoughts about Giles.
Reece had ‘sorted her out’ something to wear, and she was just fastening the last button of his white silk shirt when a soft knock on the bedroom door preceded his entrance. ‘I don’t wear pyjamas, so I’m afraid one of my shirts was all I could think of.’ His honey gaze moved over her slowly. ‘I like it,’ he said huskily.
The shirt reached her knees, the shoulder seams down to her elbows, the sleeves themselves turned back until her hands were visible, meaning there was hardly any sleeve left showing. She was shapeless, looked as big as a house, and Reece liked it!
‘Thanks,’ she said drily. ‘I could have saved myself the expense of the purple gown and just worn this instead!’
‘Or nothing,’ he smiled. ‘I’m sure that would be even more sensational.’
‘Caused a sensation,’ she corrected.
‘I know what I mean,’ Reece drawled, his arms going about her waist to draw her against him. ‘I think you have a beautiful body, Laurel—’
‘Please!’ she gasped, turning away. ‘I—I want to be alone now.’
‘Of course.’ He instantly released her, his smile one of warm friendliness. ‘I’m only just down the hall, and if you need anything, a glass of water, someone to talk to, anything, I—Laurel, sweetheart, don’t!’ he groaned as her face crumpled and tears began to flow, her body wracked by sobs.
She offered no resistance when Reece took her in his arms. She had tried to put such a brave face on things, but—God, she was frightened by what had happened tonight. It was a weakness, and she despised any sign of weakness within herself, but Reece was so strong, his arms so reassuring, that for the first time since she was eleven years old she leant on a man for emotional support.
‘I feel like it was me he—that was violated,’ she buried her face against Reece’s chest, safe in the warm darkness. ‘That’s how I feel, Reece,’ she shuddered. ‘Violated!’
‘I know, Laurel.’ He stroked her hair with soothing movements. ‘I could see it in your face when I walked in and realised what had happened. I was only trying to divert you just now. I—’
‘You don’t really think my body is beautiful?’ she tried to tease.
‘I’m sure it is,’ he spoke gently, seeming to guess how near to cracking she was. ‘But I’m also sure that tonight isn’t the right time for me to find out.’
She looked up at him with tear-wet eyes, even the pretence at levity gone now. ‘I can’t be alone tonight,’ she told him bluntly. ‘I need—someone.’
A nerve pulsed in the rigidity of his cheek. ‘You need the reassurance of someone else’s presence,’ he acknowledged curtly. ‘Give me a few minutes to shower and I’ll be that someone.’
She swallowed hard. ‘You’ll use my bathroom?’ Just the thought of being alone filled her with panic. She knew that tomorrow she would feel embarrassed about this dependence, but at the moment she needed him.
‘I’ll use your bathroom,’ he nodded, smiling. ‘But I have to go and get Fred first; he doesn’t like to be alone at night either.’
‘Fred?’ she frowned at the name. ‘I didn’t realise you had any pets. Is he a dog or a cat?’
‘A rather tattered teddy-bear,’ he admitted ruefully.
Her eyes widened at the thought of this man possibly still taking a teddy-bear to bed with him, the idea so novel she almost forgot about the break-in at her flat tonight. Then she realised that was exactly what she was supposed to do. ‘You’re teasing me,’ she chided.
‘Scouts honour,’ he denied indignantly, making the appropriate salute.
Her mouth twisted. ‘They didn’t allow rogues like you in the Boy Scouts.’
‘I bribed my way in with a gift of a tent for the field-trips.’
‘Somehow I do believe that,’ she nodded slowly. ‘There really is a teddy-bear called Fred?’ she grimaced.
‘Yes,’ Reece grinned, looking very rakish. ‘But he’s been stuck in a storage box at the bottom of my bed for the last twenty-five years, since I discovered girls are much more interesting to cuddle. My mother insisted I keep him, said I might like to give him to my own son one day. I thought I might need him tonight for protection. After all, you might have designs on my body while I’m sleeping.’ He looked at her with widely innocent eyes. ‘Fred will make sure you stay over your own side of the bed.’
She knew he was telling her tha
t she could sleep untouched on her side of the bed if she wanted to, and she was grateful for his consideration. ‘Your honour will be perfectly safe with me,’ she assured him drily. ‘But you can get Fred anyway.’
She got into bed once he had gone to his own room, in control again now, although her skin still crawled when she thought of the destruction of her flat. What would Giles’s next move be now that he hadn’t managed to find the ring? He could only keep stalling his wife for so long.
Wife. All the months she had known him she hadn’t even guessed. And a child, too. What sort of a father was he? He had claimed he didn’t like children, had sounded convincing in that dislike, too. But everything he had told her during their relationship had sounded convincing!
‘Cuddle Fred until I get back,’ Reece thrust the teddy bear in front of her face where she sat up in bed, her arms about her legs over the covers, her chin resting on her knees.
He hadn’t been joking when he described the bear as ‘tattered’; one ear looked as if it had been sewn on several times, his mouth was slightly lop-sided where the stitching had come out, the button nose hanging on by a few threads, what had once been smooth glossy golden fur now matted and slightly the worse for wear.
Laurel gently took the bear in her hands. ‘You must have loved him very much,’ she said huskily.
He nodded. ‘Thinking about it now I feel a little guilty about the speed with which he was dispatched to the storage box,’ he grimaced. ‘After years of loving me faithfully, too.’
Laurel couldn’t help smiling at the almost boyish look to his regretful expression. He was a man of contradictions, had been disapproving and reproving at the shop yesterday evening, had leapt to her defence with this bogus engagement when Giles let her down, teased her unmercifully during this evening while still managing to convey desire, had taken control of the situation when they got to her flat, had been gently supportive since that time, hadn’t been suggestive or asked a lot of stupid questions when she asked him to spend the night with her as a lot of other men would have done in the circumstances. He was many men rolled into one, the friend, the brother, the lover—no, not the lover!
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